Sask. Ukrainians say relatives need more support to leave Ukraine, Canada can expect refugees

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Canadian government said it's prioritizing immigration applications for Ukrainians, but some Ukrainians in Saskatchewan say that isn't enough.

Saskatoon-based Mykhailo Bondarenko has been watching the events in horror and calling his family back in Ukraine multiple times a day. 

Bondarenko, who has lived in Canada since 2014, is from the city of Dnipro, about 480 km southeast of Kyiv. He said his family is staying strong and that he hopes they'll eventually escape the fighting and come to Canada. 

"Nobody's giving up," Bondarenko said. "Nobody. And eventually, as soon as there would be a chance, of course, I want to bring at least my grandparents and, of course, children, my little cousins, here." 

The air strikes are what scare him the most. 

"This is just absolutely inhuman. I don't know who could be pulling these triggers. But this is a war crime." 

He said that some of his family members want to leave Ukraine, but are staying because it's too dangerous to leave, particularly because of the air strikes. 

"What my concern is right now is that a lot of people, especially children and elderly people, who are trying to seek help outside of Ukraine and are trying to cross the border … they're very limited of where they can travel because of the [lack] of documents."

Bondarenko said that while the Canadian government is prioritizing Ukrainian immigration, not everyone has universal passports. That includes some of Bondarenko's grandparents and his young relatives. 

"I want to ask the Canadian government, as well as governments of all allied countries too, to lift those requirements for foreign passports for the time being."

Bondarenko said the first priority should be getting the elderly and children out of Ukraine. After they're safe, the proper paperwork and procedures can be done.

For Saskatoon resident Danylo Puderak, it's also heartbreaking to see Ukraine under siege. He's seen similar destruction before, following the 2014 revolution in Ukraine. 

Puderak, executive director with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Saskatchewan (UCC), has close ties to Ukraine. 

His family immigrated to Canada as displaced persons after the Second World War. Pukerak, who calls Ukraine a second home, has worked there and has family and friends in the country.